Expelliarmus
by Chocolate Jenni
Summary: chapter 2 now uploaded! Hermione develops a crush on a Weasley, but has difficulty showing it. And if thats not bad enough, she gets a note saying that ANOTHER of the weasleys has a crush on her...
1. Expelliarmus

"Expelliarmus!" Ron stepped back reflexively, arms flailing in attempt to keep himself upright after the sudden force hit him. His wand launched out of his clenched fist and propelled across the room like a bullet. All movement seemed to slow, the room itself in an isolated time warp as the wand began to spin around and gain speed, Hermione's eyes never leaving it as it sped across the frozen room. In a sudden rush of noise and movement, real time was restored as the wand fell from where it had hit its rather shocked victim. The fifth year witch let out a horrified gasp, and dread filled her gut. Ron's eyes were wide.  
  
"GRANGER!!!!!" An extremely displeased and more than a little red-faced Snape stormed over to the petrified duo, his ears almost visibly steaming with anger and humiliation. The roars of laughter that had filled the hall of students at the Duelling Clubs weekly meeting suddenly hushed and the onlookers watched anxiously as Snape grabbed Hermione by her cloak and literally dragged her out of the hall, Ron and Harry trailing behind, timidly mumbling excuses in their friends defence.  
  
"Never in my life have I seen such insolence . . . three, no four detentions each . . . in their fifth year and can't even control a simple disarming spell . . ." Snape ranted furiously as the three students followed meekly down the corridor in the direction of his office. As they entered the dank entrance to the dungeons, Hermione was sure she heard a tap of footsteps momentarily followed by a muffled snigger, but neither Ron nor Harry seemed to be in the mood for sniggering -their faces ashen with anxiety -so she shrugged it off as someone in one of the classrooms that lined the dingy corridor.  
  
Snape seemed to cool down before they reached his office. His steps became slower and quieter and he stopped rambling on about their impertinent behaviour and how many nights they'd be scrubbing floors until their backs ached.  
  
"Must be the dungeons," Ron whispered at Hermione, obviously thinking the same as her, "they sooth him." She stifled a giggle and followed Snape into his slimy cave of an office, trying to ignore the squirming contents of an array of jays on his shelf (one of which that contained a huge eye that she was sure was watching her every move). Snape eased himself down onto a wooden chair, and motioned for Hermione to do the same on an identical one at the opposite side of his desk.  
  
"Please sit, Miss Granger," he said in an eerily calm voice, "you two can stand." He continued with a quick, harsh glance at the boys behind her.  
  
"You've put yourself in disgrace, Miss Granger. Not only one, not only two, but three incidents in as many days . . ." he droned on, but Hermione couldn't help but be distracted by the floating hand that appeared behind his head, and began imitating his rant, making little hand speech gestures. When another hand emerged from the empty air and was attacked by the first, as though being eaten, the three of them snorted in suppressed laughter. Snape's eyebrows narrowed and he looked over his shoulder at what they were laughing at -the hands immediately disappeared. Snape turned back cautiously.  
  
"And what is so funny, might I ask?" he almost hissed at them.  
  
"Nothing sir," Harry quickly answered. Snape looked at each of them suspiciously, then continued.  
  
"As I was saying . . . As you know, three incidences involving summons to a teachers office for punishments in one week, as has happened to all three of you," he waved a pile of papers at them in evidence and then placed them on the table, leaning forward toward the terrified students, "results in a letter to your parents . . . or guardians," he shot a look at Harry, not noticing that the hand had reappeared and was carefully pulling away one of the middle sheets of the wad he had put down, "and a severe punishment at my disgression."  
  
"That's not a rule!" Harry cried in dismay, but Hermione was one step ahead of him.  
  
"But sir, I only remember us being summoned to a teachers office twice this week . . ." she said innocently. Snapes eyes narrowed even more at her.  
  
"I can assure you there has been three, and here's the proof," he proceeded to picking up and shuffling through the wad of paper on the table, then looked at Hermione's expression of sincerity suspiciously.  
  
"I seem to have mislaid it. Stay here." He got up and left the room through a back exit. Almost immediately, two bundles of red hair gradually appeared behind where he was sitting, and the invisibility cloak they had been wearing was discarded in Harry's direction.  
  
"Fred? George?" cried Ron.  
  
"Sh! He'll hear you!" the twin on the left (Hermione couldn't tell them apart) quickly replaced the piece of paper he'd taken to the middle of the pile, and waved his wand at a kettle on Snapes desk Hermione hadn't noticed, whispering "Obliviate!" in a hushed voice as he did so. "Now quickly, let's go!"  
  
They all hurried out of the door that they'd come in, and as soon as they were safe in the Gryffindor common room, began rolling around in laughter.  
  
"Sorry - we - took - your - cloak - Harry," giggled Fred in between fits of laughter, holding his side, "we - were - just - borrowing - it!" George wiped a tear from his eye. "Good thing we did too!" Just as they were recovering, boasting to themselves over how they'd escaped the wrath of Snape the Snake Lord yet again, Ron made a rather good point.  
  
"But when Snape comes back into his office and finds us gone . . ."  
  
"Don't worry, Ronny old boy, we put a memory loss spell on his tea!"  
  
"We've been studying the Snapester for a while now," Fred continued for his brother, "and we found out that after a student escapes from his office, he always takes a deep swig of tea and then sets off toward their common room."  
  
"But this time . . . he'll take a swig, set off, and forget where he's going!" Fred and George congratulated each other on their fantastic plan.  
  
"And how would you know all this? About Snape, I mean." Hermione asked curiously.  
  
"The best and only way, of course," started George.  
  
"Self-experience!" Finished his brother. And then they were off again. 


	2. Pa-pa-paralium

The recent Snape ordeal, as they had taken to calling it, had totally changed Hermione's feelings toward Ron's elder twin brothers, Fred and George Weasley. They were no longer the schools immature pranksters, the reputation she had thought they deserved from her four years experience at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were no longer Ron's annoying older brothers that she was only chanced with seeing because of him. She still thought they were rather stupid in constantly jeopardising their place at Hogwarts through their jokes and pranks.  
  
But now, after that surprisingly intelligent save from Snape in which they used more brains than Hermione thought they even had, she held them in a new light. Well, one of them at least.  
  
After all, what's the point in having a crush on both of them?  
  
Only now was Hermione beginning to appreciate their regular antics around the school, and was impressed at the way they managed to revise sensibly for their N.E.W.T.S while still upholding their infamous reputation. And to her hidden delight, about two months after the Snape ordeal, Professor McGonagall called her into her office to tell her that because of her exceeding success in her Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons, she felt it would benefit Hermione more to be in a more advanced class, with the seventh years of her house. She quickly found out this meant a class with the Weasley twins, who were both already studying the subject for their N.E.W.T.S., and was eager to start.  
  
"Dear Diary,  
  
I start my first DATDA lesson with the seventh years today. I keep telling myself there's nothing to worry about, but I'm frightfully nervous. For one, it's my first lesson with the twins. I still haven't quite decided which one I like better, which is rather pathetic really, as I should be able to control my feelings. But if I could control them, I would have this dreadful crush in the first place! Its awfully strange, having a crush on both of them. Awfully strange having a crush at all really. But I can't help it . . . every time I see either one I get butterflies in my stomach, and lose all my confidence and undoubtedly go a ghastly shade of red too. My friends must notice me acting so strangely. Well Harry has anyway, always the observant one. He asked me so I told him last night, but not Ron, as I don't know how he'd react if I said that I fancied his brothers. Harry seems to disagree and thinks I shouldn't keep secrets, but says he'll keep his word and won't tell Ron if I don't want him to. Harry's very sweet like that, makes me want to have a crush en, sorry, on (my fingers are shaking too much to write legibly) him instead and save all this hassle. But no, my affections are reserved for the two worst behaved boys at Hogwarts.  
  
Well I best be off, it takes a while to get to the classroom my lessons in. Hopefully everything will go smoothly. Hopefully.  
  
.x. Hermione"  
  
Hermione lowered the quill and carefully hid it, along with her journal, under her dorm bed. She picked up the already pre-packed book bag waiting on her bed and checked she had the right books, before taking the stairs down to the common room. She spotted three distinctively red heads and a messy bundle of black hair, and joined the group of boys.  
  
"Hi Herm, your extra Defence Against the Dark Arts class is now, isn't it? Stinks you have to give up your free lesson." Said Ron, scrunching up his nose slightly. She nodded absently, concentrating on not looking at the twins for fear of blushing.  
  
"You have DAD?" asked Fred (Hermione had to look up to see which one had spoken as she could only tell them apart by the density of their freckles), using the nickname they'd given Defence Against the Dark Arts, because that was such a mouthful. Hermione could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks.  
  
"Professor McGonagall said that a more advanced class would benefit me," She said with her head down.  
  
"Well you can walk with us if you like, we're going too." Hermione looked up at the twins' eager yet always-mischievous faces. How could she refuse?  
  
"Ok, thanks." Ron watched dumbfounded as she left with his elder brothers; a smile played on Harry's face when he noticed this. Ron knew that Harry knew something he didn't, and despised him for it. He spent the next hour chasing him round the common room threatening to "shove him face first into a Hippogriff" if he didn't tell him.  
  
On the way to her first "DAD" lesson, Hermione asked Fred and George to give her a summary on what they'd been studying, so she could at least know some of what was going on. To her astonishment, they gave her a surprisingly brief but detailed explanation on what they'd been doing, which happened to be a study of Wolfins (which were a wolf-like creature who's back was covered in sharp spines, and breathed fire if threatened). Hermione was impressed -she knew the twins were bright, but they rarely showed it. She couldn't for the life of her work out why though. She suspected it was for fear of losing their reputation and ending up in the shadow of their older brothers, as they knew they'd never live up to their level, so they didn't try. As they approached the classroom, Hermione's nerves relaxed slightly, and she became faintly aware that she was in the company of the two biggest crushes she'd ever had, and was totally comfortable with it. Well, almost. Her heart still skipped a beat when either one caught eye contact, and her fingers let out an excited tingle when George's touched hers while handing her a book.  
  
The lesson started well; Professor Flitwick was acting as substitute and there was a Wolfin at the back of the room in a large, rusted cage, but the little man refused to touch it as he had little knowledge or training in dealing with such a creature. So, to Hermione's great relief after the initial shock of seeing a giant spiky wolf in her classroom, they began the lesson with a written essay on the eating habits of Wolfins. Hermione found this quite easy, as it was just using the information in the textbook, and finished the work quickly, as did most of the other students. She was sitting in the back row, and much to both her pleasure and unease, was between both George and Fred. As the lesson progressed she watched as they as they became increasingly restless. They hurried to get their work done, and when completed, they shared a look, their token playful look. Whatever their plan was, they had that unique ability that twins have of both sharing it. They nodded; setting Hermione's curiosity ablaze, and then went up to Professor Flitwick. Hermione followed, but didn't catch what they'd said. Suddenly, George had flicked his wand at the lock of the Wolfins cage, and it fell to the floor with a clang that Hermione never heard over the whole classes exclamations of shock. Hermione watched as the slavering creature had jumped up at the first chance it got, almost as if it had been waiting, and bounded out of the cage, it's scabby tail wagging furiously and it's eyes shining putrid pus yellow. Hints of fiery embers glinted in between rotting but still horrifically sharp teeth that paralysed Hermione on the spot and made her whole body tremble. Fear grabbed the rest of the students in the same way it had her, gluing them to the spot, and making the only qualified adult in the room dive under his desk life a scared child. The beastly Wolfin seemed to sense the spreading feeling of fear that had clutched the room, and like a cat playing with a mouse, it slowly strutted forward, taunting them by baring it's awful jaws and salivating liquid fire that sizzled and evaporated like acid rain on the cold, stone floor. A girl let out a gulped sob, and the wolf snapped his head around and barked ferociously in her direction. She gasped in terror and cowered into the corner, tears running down her face.  
  
A chorus of screams erupted when the Wolf-like creature turned around and leapt forward, hideous, spine tingling growls being emitted from deep in it's throat. Clearly enjoying it's sudden freedom and power over the terrified students, the wolf put one paw out, and then another, painfully slowly padding forward, and to Hermione's utter despair, in her direction. She took a step back -the wolf took a step forward. Her only thoughts were that she was going to die, she was going to be ripped apart limb from limb, and her body would become a feast of sinew and torn flesh for her disgusting murderer. The wolf stepped forward again. Hermione stepped back. It was over, those deadly teeth would soon be munching on her neck. Last instincts taking over, she pulled forward her feeble wand with a quivering hand, and pointed it forward.  
  
"Pa-pa-paralium!" she managed to gulp out, but before the stream of blue that shot out of her wand hit the wolf, it had leapt forward, anger gleaming in its eyes. Its jaws opened horribly wide, and a fallen, sobbing Hermione watched as it gathered a huge ball of twisting fire that rose up from its throat and was balanced precariously on its tongue. The Wolfin let out a horrendous snarling noise, and the fire rolled off its tongue and towards the hopeless, petrified girl before it, who was too choked with fear to even let out a raspy scream, she watched in horror as it blasted through the cold air, toward her, this was it, this was the end . . . 


	3. Icicuss

Hermione raised her hands to her face protectively, trembling with fright and waiting, waiting for a steaming ball of liquid flame to hit her. To lick the flesh from her bones; to sizzle away her life slowly and painfully. But unexpectedly and to her surprise, amongst the deafening roar of screaming and growling and the awful crackling of a fire sent to kill her, there was a hoarse cry of "Icicuss!" and the wind was knocked out of her as she was knocked aside. She scrunched her eyes shut and clung desperately to the figure that was now leaning on top of her protectively. She heard the distant sound of the flames smashing against the wall and exploding into a shower of embers, and what sounded like a tinkling of a huge block of ice shattering on the floor, but it was all so distant, so far off. She opened her eyes in a desperate attempt to keep herself conscious; she noticed that the person who had saved her had a bundle of ginger hair that was splayed messily over his forehead, and an array of freckles.  
  
"Fred . . . ?" she managed to gasp out. But immediately after, like water trickling down a drain, all conscious thought fell away from her and her mind was engulfed in the darkness of unconsciousness.  
  
She was awoken some time later by a bustling Madame Pomfrey fussing over the state of something Hermione couldn't quite catch (she seemed to spend most of her time fussing and moaning about something). She felt groggy, but she stubbornly opened her eyes to find that she was in the hospital wing of Hogwarts, and was surrounded by a crowd of now excitedly chattering students, the closest of which were Harry and Ron.  
  
"Is it true you were attacked by a Wolfin?"  
  
"It breathed a whole ball of fire?! WOW!"  
  
"And she survived!"  
  
"Only because Fred Weasley saved her though,"  
  
"Oh that Fred, he's so heroic!"  
  
Hermione listened dazedly to this excited murmur of questions before Madame Pomfrey shooed them all out impatiently, only leaving her two very concerned best friends. On a bed next to hers was Fred, awake and totally ignoring his bandaged arm as he and George sorted through a pile on Ton- Tongue Toffees he must have smuggled in.  
  
"Oh, look Fred, your girlfriend's awake!" Fred turned slightly pink and looked away, hissing, "She's not my girlfriend!" in a purposefully audible voice. Ron ears also went crimson upon hearing this, just confirming Hermione's suspicions that he was uncomfortable with the idea of his brother and best friend fancying each other. Hermione rubbed her forehead dizzily.  
  
"What happened?" she asked in a hoarse, croaky voice. George smirked.  
  
"Maybe your boyfriend can tell you, he was the one that cast a freezing spell on the Wolfin and shoved you onto the floor to stop you getting burnt. Got a few nasty scolds yourself though, didn't you, hero boy? You've earned yourself quite a reputation now. How do you expect us to be known as the dirtiest pranksters in the school when you go and do a thing like that, hrm?"  
  
"Not really much left for me to tell now, is there George?" he said, going even redder (if that was possible). Hermione felt the memory dribble into her conscious mind. She dearly wanted to thank Fred, but knew that George would make some snide comment. To her relief, Madame Pomfrey bustled up to hurry them out with the rest, so Harry, Ron and George left after an encouraging "get well soon" to both Hermione and Fred. Once gone, she turned to the blushing boy next to her.  
  
"Erm, Fred?" he looked up, golden eyes glinting green in the hospital room's bright light, "I just wanted to . . . I mean I . . . Thank you. For saving me." She said awkwardly, looking everywhere but his face. He grinned his grin, the grin that made her melt with desire and emotion, and his eyes locked with hers.  
  
"No problem. I couldn't just let that thing kill you, could I?" she smiled. They stayed that way for only moments, but it felt longer to Hermione as her eyes searched his and she felt herself realising that there was now no competition between him and his brother.  
  
She was totally in love with Fred.  
  
It was Professor McGonagall that shattered their eye contact moments later. She sat herself on the wooden chair directly in between the two beds and shifted her glasses up her old, wrinkly nose, a habit she had picked up ever since Harry, Ron and Hermione had had a slight "incident" about a month ago, involving the Firebolt and a "rapidus" spell that was performed maybe a bit too well. The twins had been thoroughly impressed; Professor McGonagall felt quite the opposite, even though Ron insisted that her glasses could be fixed easily. Fortunately, Professor McGonagall was so happy with Hermione about being in a higher class for DATDA, she had overlooked it for her. Harry and Ron hadn't come off so lucky, however. The stern teacher raised an eyebrow at Fred's bandaged arm.  
  
"Quite an ordeal you two have been through, I must say. You're lucky to get out so lightly, after what you did, Mr Weasley, although I must congratulate you on your quick thinking and quite admirable technique," she complimented, making Fred's ears go red as he grinned, "very impressive. 10 House Points for Gryffindor." Fred and Hermione exchanged smiles, but they were soon diminished by Professor McGonagall's next words.  
  
"However, unless either of you are willing to point out the student that opened the cage, as none of the others did, I shall have to take 10 points from Gryffindor. We cannot have pupils feeling free to let wild creatures out into a room full of people!"  
  
"Well it would have been fine if a certain teacher hadn't hidden under the desk like a kid . . ." Fred distinctly mumbled so the pointy faced teacher (who was pushing up her glasses again) could just hear him. She chose to ignore this comment.  
  
"So, willing to tell me who did it?" Hermione had to pinch herself to stop her goody-two-shoes side making her blab it was in fact George Weasley. Fred just gave a look of practiced innocence.  
  
"Nope, Professor, no idea. Sorry." Professor McGonagall gave them both suspicious looks, then handed them each a small slip of parchment.  
  
"The Yule ball is in a month. You may both leave for your common rooms as soon as Madame Pomfrey feels fit. Again Fred, I congratulate your bravery, and would you please advise your brother not to pull anything like that again. Now I must be leaving, I have 10 points to add to Gryffindor." She smiled slyly as she left, leaving Fred and Hermione stunned and impressed at their "never break the rules" head of house.  
  
Hermione loosened her grip on the piece of parchment in her hands as she realised she had been gripping it so tightly her knuckles were white. She glanced across the common room again at the two heads facing away from her, and wanted with all her heart to go over there and just blurt it out. It's not hard, especially when she knew word for word what to say. She'd been practicing it for the past two weeks, ever since Madame Pomfrey had let her out of the hospital wing after the whole Wolfin adventure. All she had to do would be to get up, walk over there, pull the unsuspecting twin to one side and just say,  
  
"Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"  
  
"Erm, no thanks Hermione, but thank you for the offer." Hermiones eyes snapped into focus as she was knocked out of her daze.  
  
"Not you Harry. I was practicing for Fred." She muttered distractedly, glacing over Harry's shoulder at the twins.  
  
"Well you better do it soon -I heard a rumour he's asking Katie from our Quidditch team . . ." 


End file.
